Connector means

ABSTRACT

A connector means to hold the two sections of a container together after opening yet still allows entry of atmospheric air into the container is disclosed. The preferred embodiment of the connector means comprises of a small short section of flexible material that is inserted into the container and positioned at the opening means of the container. The connector means has multiple channels in its longitudinal direction around its circumference to allow entry of air into the container once it is opened. The connector will retain the two sections of the container together after opening yet allows entry of air into the container. In another embodiment of the connector means the container is inserted into a short cylindrical section of flexible material with the connector means positioned at the opening means wherein said connector means has multiple elongated openings around its circumference to allow entry of air into the container once it is opened.

BACKGROUND—FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a means to connect twosections of a container. More specifically the present invention is ameans to retain the two sections of a container after it is opened andstill allows air to enter the container.

BACKGROUND—DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

Numerous containers have opening means that will result in a separatepiece of the container being separated either completely or partiallyfrom the remainder of the container to allow entry of atmospheric airinto the container. Containers with these opening means are disclosed inU.S. Pat. No. 5,702,035 and U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 09/973,637and 10/068,678. The opening means on these containers will result in asmall section of the container either completely broken off or remainpartially connected to the remainder of the container by a smallquantity of material.

If the section of the container is completely broken off, it will haveto be discarded. The small section of the container that is completelybroken off also risks being ingested by small children and pets. If thesection of the container is not broken off completely but remainspartially connected to the remaining section of the container it risksbeing pulled off and is undesirable. Therefore, a means is desired toallow the opening means to operate as designed and yet will retain theseparated piece of the container on the remainder of the container sothere are no loose sections of the container to be disposed of.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a connector means to hold the two sections of acontainer together after opening yet still allows entry of atmosphericair into the container. The preferred embodiment of the connector meanscomprises of a small short section of flexible material that is insertedinto the container and positioned at the opening means of the container.The connector means has multiple channels in its longitudinal directionaround its circumference to allow entry of air into the container onceit is opened. The connector will retain the two sections of thecontainer together after opening yet allows entry of air into thecontainer. In another embodiment of the connector means the container isinserted into a short cylindrical section of flexible material with theconnector means positioned at the opening means wherein said connectormeans has multiple elongated openings around its circumference to allowentry of air into the container once it is opened.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the preferred embodiment of the connector means.

FIG. 1A shows an enlarged perspective view of the connection means shownin FIG. 1.

FIG. 1B shows an enlarged perspective view of another embodiment of theconnector means shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the connector means.

FIG. 2A shows the assembled connector means shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the connector means.

FIG. 3A shows the assembled connector means shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the connector means.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the connector means.

FIG. 5A shows the cross-sectional view of the connector means shown inFIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 shows the preferred embodiment of the present invention. In thepreferred embodiment, the connector means 1 comprises of a short sectionof flexible material with multiple longitudinal channels 2 along itsperimeter. The multiple longitudinal channels 2 may be as shown in FIG.1A or 1B. FIG. 1A shows a connector means 1 with three channels 2equally spaced around the circumference of the connector means 1. FIG.1B shows a connector means 1 with multiple channels 2 equally spacedaround the circumference of the connector means 1. The connector means 1is inserted into an elongated cylindrical container 3 with an openingmeans 4 that will cause a section of the container 3 to be broken offeither completely or partially. The connector means 1 is positioned atthe opening means 4 to retain the section of the container that will bebroken off. When a section of the container is broken off, the connectormeans 1 will retain that section and still allow entry of air into thecontainer 3 through the multiple longitudinal channels 2 along itsperimeter.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the connector means. In thisembodiment, the connector means 5 comprises a short cylindrical sectionof flexible material with multiple elongated openings 6 around itscircumference. The connector means 5 is placed around the opening means7 of an elongated cylindrical container 8 with the multiple elongatedopenings 6 positioned over the opening means 7 as shown in FIG. 2A. Whena section of the container 8 is broken off either completely orpartially, the connector means 5 will retain the section of thecontainer that is broken off and still allow entry of air into thecontainer 8 through the multiple elongated openings 6.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the connector means. In thisembodiment, the connector means 9 comprises a cap made of flexiblematerial with multiple elongated openings 10 around its circumference.The connector means 9 is placed over the end of the elongatedcylindrical container 11 covering the opening means 12 of said container11 as shown in FIG. 3A. When a section of the container is broken offeither completely or partially, the connector means 9 will retain thesection of the container that is broken off and still allow entry of airinto the container 11 through the multiple elongated openings 10.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the connector means. In thisembodiment, the connector means 13 comprises a short section of materialwith a reduced section 14 and an elongated protrusion 15 in the form ofa toothpick at one end. The connector means 13 is inserted into anelongated cylindrical container 16 with the reduced section 14positioned at the opening means 17 of the container 16 and with theelongated protrusion 15 directed away from the section of the containerthat will be broken off either completely or partially. The connectormeans 13 will retain the section of the container that will be brokenoff and still allow entry of air into the container 16 through thereduced section 14. The connector means 13 may be affixed to the sectionof the container that will be broken off and when it is pulled out alongwith the broken off section of the container, the elongated protrusion15 of the connector means 13 will be exposed and can be used as atoothpick.

FIG. 5 is another embodiment of the connector means. In this embodiment,the connector means 18 comprises a short section of material with anelliptical profile, as shown in FIG. 5A, and an elongated protrusion 19in the form of a toothpick at one end. The connector means 18 isinserted into an elongated cylindrical container 20 and positioned atthe opening means 21 with the elongated protrusion 19 pointed away fromthe section of the container that will be broken off. The connectormeans 18 will retain the section of the container that will be brokenoff either completely or partially and still allow entry of air into thecontainer 20 from the gap between the elliptical profile of theconnector means 18 and the cylindrical container 20. The connector means18 may be affixed to the end of the connector that will be broken offand be pulled out along with the broken off section of the container toexpose the elongated protrusion 19 for use as a toothpick.

Although the description above contains many specificities, these shouldnot be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merelyproviding illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodimentsof this invention. Thus the scope of the invention should be determinedby the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by theexamples given.

1. A connector means comprising a short section of flexible materialwith multiple longitudinal channels along its perimeter wherein theconnector means is inserted into an elongated container and positionedat an opening means to retain the section of the container that will bebroken off and still allow entry of air into the container.
 2. Aconnector means comprising a short cylindrical section of flexiblematerial with multiple elongated openings around its circumferencewherein the connector means is placed around an opening means of anelongated container to retain the section of the container that will bebroken off and still allow entry of air into the container.
 3. Aconnector means as in claim 2, wherein said short cylindrical section offlexible material has a closed end and an open end wherein the connectormeans is placed over the end of the elongated container and around anopening means of said elongated container to retain the section of thecontainer that will be broken off and still allow entry of air into thecontainer.
 4. A connector means comprising a short section of materialwith a reduced section wherein the connector means is inserted into anelongated container with the reduced section positioned at an openingmeans of said container and wherein the connector means will retain thesection of the container that will be broken off and still allow entryof air into the container.
 5. A connector means as in claim 4, whereinsaid short section of material with a reduced section further comprisingan elongated protrusion at one end wherein the connector means isinserted into an elongated container with the reduced section positionedat the opening means and with the elongated protrusion directed awayfrom the section of the container that will be broken off wherein theconnector means will retain the section of the container that will bebroken off and still allow entry of air into the container and whereinthe connector means may be pulled out along with the broken off sectionof the container to be used as a toothpick.
 6. A connector meanscomprising a short section of material with an elliptical profilewherein the connector means is inserted into an elongated container andpositioned at an opening means and wherein the connector means willretain the section of the container that will be broken off and stillallow entry of air into the container.
 7. A connector means as in claim6, wherein said short section of material with the elliptical profilefurther comprising an elongated protrusion at one end wherein theconnector means is inserted into an elongated container and positionedat the opening means with the elongated protrusion directed away fromthe section of the container that will be broken off wherein theconnector means will retain the section of the container that will bebroken off and still allow entry of air into the container and whereinthe connector means may be pulled out along with the broken off sectionof the container to be used as a toothpick.